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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. court — of law
  3. court — of a king
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mate — a friend
  7. degree — an amount
  8. mate — to breed
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. degree — temperature
  12. current — happening now
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. current — of water
  18. current — electric
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. degree — from a university
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — low music
  24. court — for sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com